It's hard to beat an apple crisp warm from the oven. Sweet and tart with just enough crispness in the crumbled topping to make a delicious end to supper. But here at Potluck Paradise headquarters we devised a way so that this tasty delight can be had easily for a quick breakfast or even a midnight snack.
It all began in typical potluck fashion with a gift of a bunch of apples. Our friend Michele's apple trees were in fine production last fall. When she asked if we could use some cooking apples of various kinds, we had visions of a pie or two, some sauce, a bit of preserves. We did all of that. Set some by in the freezer and on the preserve shelf. . . but there were still more apples. Michele had done her own canning and freezing and said that she could feed the rest to her horses. But never one to turn away from a challenge, or the gift of free apples, we said that we would keep finding ways to use them.
And so we have the Nearly Instant Apple Crisp Filling. It took a bit of tinkering to develop the recipe. And a bit of time to work through the apples to get them set up. Really it is just a matter of peeling, slicing, mixing, measuring, and filling the freezer bags--you could work through a couple of pecks of apples while watching your favorite team win its Saturday college football game. These little packets of great filling tuck nicely into the freezer and are ready to eat in less than 10 minutes.
Nearly Instant Apple Crisp
Cutting the apples:
The most important thing is to cut your apples into pieces that will cook quickly in the microwave when you are ready to make the crisp. We've found slices roughly an inch square and 1/2 inch thick work well, No need to be precise, you and your knife will get the idea. We generally peel and cut the apples in quarters and then remove the core. Then cut these quartered apples into thin slices. Large apples should be cut into six pieces or even eight.
To make the filling:
6 cups apple slices (see important note above)
3/4 cup sugar -- we prefer brown sugar, but you can use white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
We've found it is really easy to mix this filling in an 8-cup clear Pyrex measuring cup. Put in the apples, pressing them down for a good measure, followed by the sugar, and cornstarch. Mix well and stir in vanilla. Divide the filling into ten packets. We found plastic sandwich bags worked well. Roll tightly or flatten for compact storage in the freezer. We put the sandwich bags into larger freezer bags for better protection against freezer burn.
Now for the topping--you can make this easy recipe below, or just crumble cookies, granola, or buttered bread crumbs on top.
To make the topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Old Fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
In a medium mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, oatmeal, and flour. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse cornmeal. Divide into ten packets and freeze.
To make a crisp:
Empty the contents of an apple packet into a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Microwave at a medium setting until warm and the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes. Be sure to stir once or twice during the process.
Pour the filling into an oven-proof bowl and sprinkle with some of the topping--straight from the freezer will work. Finish by putting under a low broiler -- about 8 inches away -- for just a minute or two. Or in a preheated 350 degree oven, or in a toaster oven. Watch carefully so that the topping doesn't burn.
There you go!
Copyright 2015 Rae Katherine Eighmey. All rights reserved
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